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Federal Government in violation of Charter of Rights and Freedoms, says PSAC

OTTAWA, Feb. 3 /CNW Telbec/ - The Public Service Alliance of Canada is
challenging the federal government's definition of employee, claiming it
denies certain federal public service workers the freedom of association
guaranteed under section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The definition of employee in the Public Service Labour Relations Act
(PSLRA), excludes student, casual, and short-term workers from access to
collective bargaining under the Act. This provision prevents these workers
from becoming union members and denies them access to the collective
bargaining process contrary to the freedom of association guarantee in the
Charter. PSAC, the largest federal public service union in Canada, has filed
its case at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
"It is time for the Federal Government to accept that the Charter is for
all members of Canadian society including federal public service workers,"
PSAC National President John Gordon says. "For the Federal Government to deny
any worker a fundamental freedom guaranteed by the Charter sends the message
that the Federal Government believes the Charter can be ignored. We do not
agree and we intend to fight for the right of these workers to become union
members and to bargain collectively with their co-workers."